The Courtship of the Lady Ashe
by Desert Willow
Summary: With a wicked grin, Balthier turned out to the rest of the Great Hall. He watched Ashe's face turn bright red but he knew she was unable to stop him. 'This is my formal declaration to The Royal City of Rabanastre of my intent to court the Lady Ashe.'
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Not in this chapter but the next there are some slight spoilers for Revenant Wings. I have not played the game yet, but this is what Wikipedia has told me.

Ashe did her best not to drum her fingers on her chair, but she had to admit, this part of her reign was incredibly dull.

Currently she was seated on her throne in the Great Hall of her palace listening to the complaints of her people. Truth was, she typically enjoyed it. She opened her doors to all of her kingdom every month for them to air their troubles and possibly help them come to a solution. There were typically three groups who came to the palace.

The first were typically lower class and she had to admit were her favorite. They were frequently difficult problems, since the lower class didn't want to trouble her with anything that wasn't worth it. They usually didn't have a right or wrong answer and it helped her practice her diplomacy skills. She also enjoyed them because, while she could no longer be among her people on the street, it kept her from feeling completely detached.

The second broke her heart. They were soldiers from Archadia who had made Rabanastre their home and wished to stay, yet where they lived typically belonged to someone who had been originally displaced to Lowtown and wished have their property back. They had done nothing wrong other than follow orders, which she understood, yet still it belonged to someone else. It was not the Empire's right to give it away and it still wasn't very safe the former soldiers within the city.

The third, which is what she was currently sitting through, were the upper-class, from Dalmasca and Archadia mutually. Typically, it was some rich landowner wanting more land. Often it was two neighbors disputing the property line claiming that the Archadians had moved it, which of course they had not, and that their neighbor was taking two inches of their land. The Archadians often came to complain about their loss of land, as the current gentleman had come for, wishing for their winter home back. All complaints she forwarded to Larsa for compensation of the amount that they paid the Empire for HER land, but she still had to hear their complaining if they came. Quite frankly, most of the third group knew their complaints were weak but came anyway just to come before the young queen and make their face known at court.

"Yes, Sir…" Ashe floundered for the man's name. She needed to restart her old note system. She decided to just continue when the man was oblivious to her mental blank, "I understand your position but you paid the Empire for your home. I must forward your complaint to Lord Larsa."

"But I flew here all the way from Archades! And I don't wish for money I want my house back!" the man sputtered.

Ashe resisted the urge to grip the throne, it was not like a queen to show frustration, but her people referred to them as their homes not just a house. "And I am sorry for your pains, but it was not the Empire's place to sell it to you. Once you receive your money back, if you wish to invest it in a house that is on the market, you are free to do so."

"But it had the best view of the city!" he moaned.

"I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do for you."

The nobleman realized that he would have no more luck with her, bowed and took his leave.

The court herald stepped forward to announce the next Archadia noble. Ashe heard all grievances in the order of her mental categories of importance. "Lord Ffamran Mid Bunansa," the man shouted to the court. 

Ashe typically used the time they took to get inside the Great Hall and in front of her to collect her thoughts. Again she wished for her notes. On them she used to keep pertinent information about every noble she had met. What the circumstances were, where they are from, whom they are related to. They were made as she met people so if she came across someone whom she had met but couldn't remember, her assistants would be able to help her recall whom it was she was talking to. She used to keep a whole stack of them, but since her return to power she had yet to find them. The Archadians had probably thrown them out but in this case, she desperately wished for them. The name sounded so familiar yet she couldn't actually place it. She could only think of one Bunansa and… he…

The blood drained out of her face as she realized who it was. Balthier walked in not a second later.

He looked good. Gods he looked so good. He always looked great but never like he did at that moment. Last time she had seen him, he looked wild. Like something exotic and untamable with his too tight pants, his earrings and his gun which he usually swung around casually. She certainly didn't expect to see him with a gun in the middle of her court but she didn't expect to change his appearance either. Gone were his earrings and the pants that she often cursed because of their difficult removal. They were replaced with the very fine clothing of the Archadian nobility that Ashe had seen worn on so many of the men who had come through her court. Balthier's clothes were always very beautiful and very expensive but they were also functional and easy to move in. The clothes he was currently in had layers and were all pouf and looked restricting, but Balthier wore them with an ease as if he had been wearing them all his life. "He probably had, until he ran off and became a pirate…" Ashe thought to herself. He looked presentable and someone who belonged at court. She had never imagined that for all of his fastidiousness he could clean up anymore yet the proof was walking toward her.

"My lady," Balthier swept himself into a deep, elegant court bow. "I do apologize for the slightly false pretenses that I am here under. I do not have a land matter that needs to be resolved, but I just wished to offer my congratulations to you finally. I am deeply sorry that I was unable to do so at a time more appropriate but some family matters have kept me away."

Ashe swallowed trying to regain coherent thought. She slowly found her voice again. "Do not worry about it. You are always welcomed here Ba… Lord Bunansa. Rosalie?" Ashe called for her Lady-In-Waiting.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Who is left after this gentleman?"

"No one, my lady. He is the last for the day," Rosalie replied.

"Then, I wish for the hall to be cleared in order to catch up with an old friend."

"Yes, my lady." Rosalie made the arrangements and soon Balthier and Ashe found themselves alone.

Ashe could feel her heart racing. The last time she had really touched this man was the morning before their final battle, waking up in his arms after making love all night in his chamber on the Strahl. The last time she saw this man he was rushing off to his death to save her kingdom. The last time she had heard from this man was just a simple note that wasn't even really for her. In all of those last times, where did that leave them?

"Hello, Princess," Balthier said. His voice was like molasses, slow, smooth and it seemed to stick in her ears. Those simple words were enough to get her off of her throne and into his arms kissing him like a desperate mad woman. He didn't miss a beat and took her in his arms and returned her ardor. She suddenly stopped and pulled away from him. Before she had a chance to admire the adorable look of confusion he had on his face, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** From here on out the tenses and points of view get a little wonky. The past is in italic and just to be clear are not them remembering. It's more like two stories spliced together. Also of note is that the past is not in chronological order, so if your memory of the game is a little fuzzy but you're sure that such and such event took place at a different point, that's because it did.

If you find that I've slipped up and started telling the story from another perspective then what I had been doing with in that time line, please let me know. I will be using different POV's within chapters, but the past and the present should be clearly told from one person's perspective. Hopefully you will understand as the story goes on.

There is a brief mention of events in RW. I have not played the game at all, but there was a small mention of this in the Wikipedia entry.

Much loves goes out to sapereaude13 who gave this a look over. The idea of Balthier taking back his title is ganked from her and Katmillia and used with permission.

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_Their entire party had objected to the lodgings that they were given when so many had suffered on Mt Bur-Omisace that day, but after they all had spent so much time and their potions on healing who they could, some of the refugees who still had a home had insisted._

_He heard a knock on the door of the small room he currently lodged in. It was probably Vaan, wanting Balthier to tell him all about his adventures as a Sky Pirate as he had done the last several nights. He was not in the mood to tell the boy a bedtime story._

"_Vaan, it is la…" Balthier started as he opened the door. He stopped mid-sentence when he realized it was the princess instead. "Why hello," he said._

_Ashe stood in front of him looking distinctly uncomfortable and without her battle gear on. She was only in her white top and that skirt that left very little to imagine, which usually didn't stop him from trying to imagine it anyway. When they camped she only took off what was metal and without the layers she seemed nearly naked. He certainly wasn't complaining but she seemed to realize his train of thought and squirmed a little more under his appreciative gaze._

_After a moment, Ashe still had yet to say anything so Balthier continued, "Is there anything I can help you with?"_

_She seemed to take a moment to gather her thoughts. Balthier found it rather endearing that he had this affect on her. He had been noticing it more and more since the night he spent with her at Jahara. "Why are you doing this?" She finally managed to breathe out quickly._

"_Do what? I believe it was you who came to me, late at night, half naked," Balthier responded walking away from her but leaving the door open so if she chose to enter she was welcomed to do so._

"_I am not half naked!" She exclaimed._

"_Your highness, that skirt is all but non-existent. Here," Balthier tossed her one of his fresh shirts. "If you are going to sleep half naked, you may as well do it comfortably when we have the lodgings."_

"_Balthier, I can't acc…" he silenced her with a look. She continued the original conversation. "I mean, why are you continuing on with us? The deal was to take us to the Garif yet you continued on to the Stilshrine with us and are taking us to Archades."_

"_So desirous are you to be rid of me?" he asked._

"_I wish to have my ring back."_

"_And I wish to have all that treasure that you promised me. And I do recall the deal was your ring in exchange for something more valuable." _

"_Is that your only concern? Treasure?" she balked stepping into the room._

"_I'm just simply a man of my word."_

_She pressed her mouth together, as if to keep from shouting at him in frustration. Finally she decided to continue. "There is something more, Balthier. I am sure of it! You seemed to leap upon the chance to take us; no questioned asked. What investment do you have in this ordeal? I need to know for I cannot have another traitor among us."_

_Balthier felt his face scrunch up as if he were recalling a particular nasty taste. He tried to mask it from her but he was certain she noticed._

"_That's not it, I promise you. While I cannot be entirely forthcoming, my reasons are entirely honorable. And despite my personal interest in this, I have been apart of this journey for some time now and I wish to see its resolution. I would like to be sure that no harm befalls you," Balthier said, but mentally added, 'because if Cid caused it and I did nothing to stop it, I'm not sure I would forgive myself.'_

_There was a thick silence in the room. Balthier was deep in his thoughts but he watched Ashe out of the corner of his eyes. It seemed Ashe was just realizing what she was wearing, who she was with and where she was and was immensely uncomfortable with the situation. He decided to give her an easy out._

"_Was there anything else I can help you with?" he asked._

"_Yes," she paused then walked toward him. "Despite my hostile attitude toward your choice in professions, your help with all of this has been invaluable. For your concern, your shirt and for your comforting the other night." She leaned in and kissed him on the check. The act itself was sweet and chaste, a scene that would not have been out of place at court._

_But they were not at court and he certainly was not chaste. The small gesture sparked something very powerful between them and never had the urge to kiss someone been so strong. Balthier didn't think he was the only one feeling it. The way she stared back into his eyes revealed that she could tell what that simple act had started, but if she like where it had taken them, he couldn't tell. Well, he wasn't one who was afraid of a slapped face; he leaned in and kissed her._

_Her mouth hesitated for a moment and then opened eagerly to him. That was enough of a cue for Balthier to be more forward. He gently led her against a wall where his kiss grew surer. While he was no stranger to getting slapped, he rather enjoyed it when he didn't._

Balthier's face stung from where her palm struck across his cheek. 'That I deserved,' he thought to himself.

"You are an arrogant cad!" she shouted at him.

"About the note," Balthier started. "It wasn't my choice. And if you promise not to yell or to slap me, I can explain myself." Ashe stilled. "Very good. Let us sit."

They walked over to her dais and sat.

"I did want to contact you, Ashe but when the Bahamut started to fall, Fran and I were still in it. She had some debris fall on her earlier and I had been burned slightly. I had to get her out of there. Took me a day to get us to a place I knew was safe and any potions I had, they went to Fran. I got her stable and got us set up and by the time Fran was in a position to start bossing me around, it was too late. My burn had become infected and I spent the better part of three months in bed, some of that delirious."

"Why didn't you find us? Why didn't you come here instead of somewhere it took you a day to travel?"

"With all of the mayhem, wasn't quite sure where safe within the city was. I know you are not ignorant of the looting that took place that night. The city was madness itself. I knew of a place that while farther, infinitely calmer and somewhere I needed to be anyway."

"And where was this place? And you have only explained three months Balthier! I believed you were dead for a whole year!"

He sighed. "I know. Gods, Ashe it killed me but things needed to get taken care of. My father had no formal will, so naturally things fell to me. Our estate is rather large and while I don't care for it, it provides a livelihood for several families. The Archadian market nearly crumbled when they thought Draklor Laboratories were going under, until Larsa stepped in. When I came to finally, it was abundantly clear that I had to stay there to sort things out. I was in no condition to fly and couldn't and will not ever use the money that will have to support my family's estate for who knows how long. I wish I didn't care enough and could just burn down the whole damn thing."

Ashe was quiet for a bit. "What's this Lord Bunansa nonsense?"

Balthier pretended to be hurt. "It's not nonsense! I've inherited the family title. The old man just preferred to be remembered as a doctor than a comte."

"Yes, but when have you ever used your family connections to your advantage?" Ashe asked skeptically yet comfortably. To Balthier they seemed to be falling into their old rhythm.

"Well, I am supposed to be dead," Balthier stated.

"Yes, I know. We even had a parade," Ashe said. Balthier quirked an eyebrow and she turned bright red realizing what she had implied. "In your honor! You are not dead in Dalmasca. I never allowed it to be declared. Instead you and Fran have full pardons."

He smiled warmly and genuine, something she rarely saw. "And that has made a world of difference." Before he could elaborate he slightly changed topics. "Well, it just doesn't work when a dead man visits royalty. Those records are public. And being dead makes pirating far easier."

"Still up to your old game," Ashe mused.

"Of course. I'm willing to use the family money to pay for things concerning the estate but not a single penny of that goes to The Strahl. And since the Cache of Glabados was just Vaan's stupid airship, I have to find something to pay the bill."

"I will have you know that if you get caught, Pirate, I will not come to your rescue. You will have to find your own way out of prison," Ashe told him firmly.

"I wouldn't dream of asking," Balthier replied. "The princess saving the leading man… it simply isn't done."

"I am not a Princess anymore."

"Ah, yes," he sighed.

After a moment of comfortable silence, "That explains everything but your clothes Balthier," Ashe said.

He winced. A habit he had when he thought of something unpleasant. "While I would love to tell you it was simply because a pirate doesn't show up at court saying he's nobility, I can't. Truth of the matter is, my old nanny is also he Estate's housekeeper and she forced it upon me, insisting I couldn't leave the house like some 'hoodlum.' Yes, she actually used those words. Oh be quiet."

Ashe was trying to discreetly hide her giggling and failing. "You still take orders from your nanny?"

"You would too!" Balthier proclaimed. "There are two people I do not disobey; Fran and Nanny Lilè."

She smiled. "I missed you Balthier."

He returned her smile. "I rather missed you too Princess." He leaned in and kissed her rather thoroughly.

She pulled back. "We can't continue this here. Meet me in my bedroom tonight. You should be able to find it easily. It's in the east wing and there will be no other lights on in that part of the palace. I'll make sure there are no guards around. Do you think you can handle a simple break in?"

He smiled. "Encouraging a crime, Princess? I think my reappearance has been a bad influence on you. Yes, I think I can manage that." He stood up and brought her with him. He then made a deep bow over her hand and kissed her knuckles feeling her soft, warm skin under his lips. "Until tonight, my lady." And with that Balthier left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay on this. November brought many projects for school and this had to get pushed to the side. I'm trying very hard to get Chapter 4 finished soon.

I have since bought Revenant Wings and I am about half way through. Despite the mention in the last chapter of the events that the game starts out with, there will be no more allusions to RW other than what is done by accident. As I stated, I am only half way through but I would say that this can be consider AU by this point. At least, no further attempts to include the events in RW will be factored into this.

Again, POV and time line is funky in this. The past are not flashbacks so the point of view at one point may not be the same for a different time. Also, the past scenes are not all from the same point. I mention this all again because I find if I am writing from Balthier's view and mean to switch to Ashe for the next part, I sometimes forget. So I try and go back and fix what I can, but if you notice that while in the same scene I slip, please point it out. This goes for all chapters.

Thanks again for all of you reviews. I really appreciate them!

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"_What is something more valuable? Define it for me." Ashe said as she ran her fingers over his chest._

"_As I said, I'll know it when I see it," Balthier replied stopping her fingers; she was tickling him._

"_Would you?" she asked._

Ashe paced around her room waiting for him to show. It was well after midnight and it was so typical of him to take his time.

She rolled her eyes at the lengths she had to go through with Adelmo, he captain of the guard. He was no Basch but he did his job well enough to insist she had guards near her bedroom. She made a big enough fool of herself that he must have figured out what was going on tonight. She pushed cleaning out the old escape route from her bedroom to the top of her list. She hadn't bothered before hand because if anyone tried to attack her underestimated the fight that would ensue.

Ashe sat at her vanity. She stood up. She walked across the room. She sat down on her bed. She stood up again. She could feel herself shaking with nerves.

_Sex between them had never been like that. It has been sweet, vigorous, rough, and everything in between. But what that was just then was desperate and it was terrifying. Her body was still quaking with pleasure beneath him and his own arms shook with the effort to keep his weight off of her. He knew it wasn't the best reason and even seemed to cheapen it but if things went the way he was dreading they would tomorrow, he had to tell her. She needed to know. Hopefully, this was just the first time and not also the last._

"_I love you, Ashelia," he whispered into Ashe's ear. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down for a kiss. He put a hand to the side of her face, which is when he realized she was crying. "Ashe?" She tried to hide them but one or two tears still managed to escape from her eyes._

_He rolled them so they faced each other on their sides. "Shhh," Balthier soothed. "I know this is my first time saying that to someone, but I can't have bungled it that badly."_

_She laid her head into his naked chest and he held her close. "Oh gods, I love you too," she breathed out._

_He smiled a little to himself. It may have not been the ideal way he wished to hear those words, but hearing them was enough. "Then why the tears, Princess?"_

"_What do you think is going to happen tomorrow with Vayne?" she asked seriously, quickly regaining her composure._

_Balthier's face became solemn. "Honestly? I don't know." He held her tighter. "But you needn't worry about that. We're the heroes of this story. And the leading man always triumphs over all and still has time to get the girl." He kissed the top of her head. _

_She pulled back a little and gave him a slight smile. "You seem to be comforting me a lot."_

"_I would hardly call twice a lot, m'dear," Balthier remarked._

"_For someone who has gone without tears the last two years, twice in the span of a few months is quite a lot," Ashe said. Balthier watched as her face grew hard. "Don't do anything reckless tomorrow."_

"_Define reckless," he evaded. He didn't want to make promises he didn't know he would be able to keep and the truth of the matter was he was terrified as to what tomorrow would mean for them, victorious or not._

"_Dying would be reckless."_

Ashe sat back down at her vanity just before she heard a "Gods damn it," from her balcony.

She rushed over to greet him only to find him splayed out in a position that could only be described as "uncomfortable."

"That," he started from him position on the floor, "was the worst idea, ever."

She smirked. "I thought you could manage a simple break in?"

"A simple one, yes." Balthier stood up and started to right himself. "You didn't say it would be a ten foot drop. You're lucky that we had rope on the Strahl to shorten it, otherwise you would be sleeping alone tonight."

"What makes you think I won't be sleeping alone anyway?"

He gave her a lecherous grin. "Because, Majesty, you find me irresistible."

Ashe rolled her eyes while he dusted himself off. "I plan on having a passage way cleared out so that you can come and go undetected. It may take-"

"Oh damn it all!" He stuck a finger through the hole his shirt had just acquired. "I rather liked this shirt too."

Ashe noted he was back in his more standard attire. Court wear just was not conducive to breaking and entering apparently. "Take it off," she commanded. Balthier flashed a debauched smirk at her. "Grow up, and take off your shirt. I'll have it mended."

"Won't your staff wonder why you are having a man's shirt mended?" he asked as he started to undo his vest.

Ashe walked back into her room and pulled something out of her bureau. "I'll just say I ruined this one." She handed him the shirt he had given her the night they shared their first kiss. She watched Balthier quickly try and hide his amazement that she still had it. He took off his vest and shirt and compared it to the one she had handed her.

"Well, this simply won't do. The embroidery on the sleeves is all wrong. Besides this cut of the neck line went out of style a year ago. It's half an inch too wide. Anyone will see that it's a different shirt."

Ashe looked at the two shirts. "Believe it or not, I think you are the only one particular enough to notice. Just so you know that shirt has caused more trouble than it is worth."

"I don't know…" Balthier remarked. She watched him while he made himself rather comfortable on her bed. "The shirt is worth a rather tidy sum. I paid a great deal for it."

"One of my ladies-in-waiting, Rosalie the one whom you saw earlier, took an interest in that shirt. I trust her enough to have told her some of the details of how I acquired it. Since then, the story of "The Queen and her Pirate Hero who saved the City" has spread all over. Not just the castle but the whole region talks about you. I think Vaan and Penelo have also been encouraging these stories. You really ought to speak to them, otherwise they may blow you cover and you'll find yourself with the bounty back on your head."

"Ah, but once you are officially announced dead, you are forgiven of your crimes as a courtesy. It's not a pardon per se; Fran and I are just not prosecutable. It is almost never done without a body but I think it was just a form of honor for what we did."

"No, it wasn't," Ashe cut in morosely. "It was a well meaning Larsa and Al-Cid using their countries to help me move on."

"Well, Dalmasca is the only nation that didn't do that, but you have given me and Fran a full pardon, so thank you, your highness." She watched as he fluffed the pillows behind his head to something more of his liking.

She smiled thoughtfully. "I couldn't do it. Everyone insisted that you were dead but I didn't want to let you go." She climbed onto the bed with him and put her head on his exposed chest. They entwined their fingers. She watched him smile contently and felt the same smile on her face.

_He watched Fran watch him. He'd admit it, he was sulking, and by the constant twitching of her ears, she was getting rather annoyed with him._

_He had sacrificed himself in blazing glory just so he could make it easier on As- her to let him go. He knew his place. It didn't mean he had to like it._

_They hadn't done much since his recovery. He had too much on his mind and didn't trust himself with a job. They hadn't even claimed the Strahl back. He just lounged around in his old bedroom or in the library most days just like he was doing currently. _

"_Did you hear about the festival in Dalmasca today?" Fran asked him. He grunted in the negative. "It's to celebrate their freedom."_

"_It's a month early," he snidely commented._

"_It's to correspond with our birthdays."_

"_Oh?" This started to pique his interest._

"_Yes," Fran continued. "The Queen is granting us full pardons."_

"_Why do two dead people need pardons?" He sat up._

"_Apparently, we are not dead. The Queen has publicly refused to accept it."_

_Balthier smiled confidently for the first time in months. "I suppose then I have ring to return."_

"Why did you return my ring when you did? I understand being busy and not being able to deliver it in person but if you were just going to have it delivered why did you wait a year?"

They were lying in her bed sometime later after some vigorous lovemaking. Ashe was running her hand over his chest as she did when she was content. Balthier stopped her hand and she waited for his response.

"Fran told me about the festival and your refusal to give up on us. It felt like the right time and made me figure out a few things. One was that I had found something more valuable." He paused. "Now, why it didn't feel right before and why I didn't just have it delivered before that… I don't think you are going to appreciate." She looked up at him from her vantage point on his chest. He took her hands into his.

"The truth is, until I found out that you refused to give up on me, even though by all accounts I should be dead, I was staying away because I felt that it was better that you thought me dead."

"Balthier," Ashe started to rise angrily but Balthier kept her firmly in place. He seemed to be expecting her outrage which is why he took her hands. "That's preposterous! It killed me watching the Bahamut fall. When we never found your bodies, I think that made it worse! I didn't know what way to feel! Should I write you off as lost or keep hopin-"

"Ashe," he hushed. "I know it was wrong. But I did think it was for the best. For whom, I can't say. I think I was mostly terrified of you saying 'I have my country back! Thanks! You can be on your way now!' And even if you didn't, I am still a pirate and that won't change. I shouldn't even be allowed to see you. Your councilors will certainly object to your association with me. Fran was the one who made the point that if I had my title I may as well use it to get in without causing too much alarm."

"Balthier…" Ashe began but he silenced her. She was angry because he sounded so much like her reaction after their first kiss, something that took a lot to come to terms with and she had put behind her.

"I am a fool," he told her. "Let's just leave it at that."

The next morning, Ashe woke to Balthier whispering her name.

"Ashe." Balthier poked her awake. "Love, I need to leave. I'm certain one of the maids has seen me. I don't think she was here long enough to see much but I should still leave."

"It's probably was just Rosalie or Edelaide," she replied groggily. "Don't worry. I'll speak to them. But you are right. You should get out of here before anyone else sees you."

Ashe watched Balthier get dress. "Here's something that has been bothering. What is the protocol for courtship in the court since you are Queen and have no elder gentleman for a suitor to ask permission for the honor?"

"The suitor must make an announcement to the court." She narrowed her eyes in distrust. "Why?"

"Need to know what to look out for so I don't have any other man steal you from me."

"Well, it's mostly just for show," Ashe replied. "Most noble marriages come through contracts these days so no one bothers with the courtship rituals."

"Still," Balthier said as he did the last fastening on his vest. "It won't be pretty when I have to tell some idiot boy in front of your whole court at some function that you already have been claimed." She gave him a contemptuous look to which he said, "Yes, yes, you're your own woman and all of that, but I still have a claim."

He bent down and gave her a kiss goodbye.

"I'll be around soon enough," he said.

"I love you," she told him.

He gave her another one of his rare true smiles. "And I love you too. I wish I had told you that more."

"Well you can say it to me now."

"Yes, indeed." He walked out to the balcony. "But while I am gone, do clean out that passage. I am not looking forward to having to climb this wall to flag down Fran. I'm going to ruin this shirt as well."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: The Courtship of the Lady Ashe  
Character/Pairing: Balthier/Ashe  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: With a wicked grin, Balthier turned out to the rest of the Great Hall. He watched Ashe's face turn bright red but he knew she now was unable to stop him with the audience they had. "This is my formal declaration to The Royal City of Rabanastre of my intent to court the Lady Ashe."

Spoilers: The entire game  
Notes: Currently unbeta'ed so apologies for any typos ahead of time.

Also, the song Balthier sings is based off of a real song. It's called "She Moved through the Faire." I really agonized over the use of the song with in this chapter, as Jamie and several of my friends can attest to. The use of songs usually annoys me and I avoid at all costs since it can be used so poorly and can take you out of the story. But the use of it here moved the story in a way I wanted it to since I find music far more powerful than simple prose and I tried to do it in a delicate way since I do not use actual lyrics and it is not a well known song. Please tell me what you honestly think since I have heard so many varying opinions on the subject and would like to get a broader view.

* * *

Balthier became a regular at court after that. He always came as "Lord Bunansa, Comte of Skibreidhe of Archadia" and it quickly became apparent the "Lord Bunansa" was a favorite of the Queen.

Ashe told him that before his reappearance back into her life, she found holding court incredibly dull. She had often wished to do away with it but understood that she did not want to be known as a reclusive ruler like her father was. Traveling with two of her subjects who didn't recognize her made her aware that she should make her face known. But after Balthier had started to come around, she looked forward to the time she got to spend with him and his witty comments at all of the pomp and circumstance that she was surrounded by.

At first, Ashe tried to keep him away because was terrified that he would be recognized as Balthier. But between his and Dr. Cid's desire to disavow each other's existence, the connection between Ffamran Bunansa and "that sky pirate chap" was never made. It didn't stop the occasional courtier from recognizing him as "Cid's boy" but it was quickly made clear that Balthier had no desire to remember his father and the conversation quickly changed topics.

Balthier was not only becoming Ashe's favorite but her court, her staff and her advisors all seem to enjoy the company of the "Comte of Skibreidhe" and Balthier did all he could to encourage it. He'd do some light flirting with the maids and Ashe's Ladies-in-Waiting which would made them blush and giggle, he would talk politics with any of Ashe's advisors which proved to them that he was not without intellect, and would discuses airships with anyone interested in the topic which caused the few who met Ffamran when he was young to chuckle about how some things never changed.

The most discussed topic in court was Balthier and the Queens relationship. Many enjoyed the idea of the young queen finding love in the young Comte after all of the pain she had been through. But just as many people within the court suspected that the Queen was not over her first husband.

_Ashe stood at the bridge for sometime after Vaan had left. Her hope was to outlast her companions and if she was going to cry, rage or lose her mind, she would do it alone and in peace. _

_Vaan's confirmation of seeing Rasler was unsettling. She wasn't sure if she was loosing her mind but her brief vision of him when it was in fact Vaan did not lie well within her. She didn't know what to think of these visions. She was certain that she would get very little sleep that night contemplating this._

_She also thought over her companions. Would her father or husband or brothers be ashamed of her because of the company she kept these days? The two children, Vaan and Penelo, she grew to liking everyday. They were her subjects and while Vaan may be a thief, he was made so because of the Empire. They were the people she was fighting for. The more she traveled with Basch the more she was certain of his story and regretted the time she spent hating him. He stood by her when Vossler did not._

_This left The Pirates. The Viera Pirate was no nonsense and despite Basch finding her profession objectionable, Ashe could tell that if he was not a little infatuated by Fran then he certainly was intrigued. Ashe thought about it and decided that Fran was a worthy companion if Basch trusted her well enough._

_The Male Pirate… no… Balthier, on the other hand gave her doubt. She trusted him when it came to the journey. It was he who Ashe had struck the barging with. The deal was for him to take her to Jahara and yet he had made all inclinations that he planned to continue on with them then next day when by all accounts he had every right to take Rasler's wedding ring and leave._

_He disturbed her for some reason she had yet to place. He was pleasant enough despite the indecent looks he gave her. She had received worst when she was with the Resistance. The men she was with, save Vossler, had no idea who she was other than an attractive young woman, and in the end those men were like the brothers that she had lost. She certainly didn't view Balthier like she viewed her brothers. No, she's been thinking of Balthier in highly inappropriate ways. And that was a problem._

_She didn't even know why the thoughts started. It wasn't just because he was attractive, which she couldn't deny. But she had been around attractive men in the Resistance. Something about him just caused her mind to stray._

_The appearance of Rasler scared her. She didn't know which was worse, Vaan seeing him or not. Vaan not seeing him meant she was loosing her mind but the connotation of someone else seeing him… terror clutched at her chest. Could her dead husband be haunting her? She was not a superstitious person by the light of day, but there were nights, well deep into her adolescence,where she would lay awake, clutching her blanket, listening for bumps in the night. Was it really Rasler visiting her? Was he wishing for her to seek revenge on The Empire? What would he think of her… interests in Balthier, a shameless pirate with an Archadian accent?_

_Several hours had passed in restlessness when she decided that she had stayed up long enough to make the next day thoroughly unpleasant and she went back to the camp they had set up._

_Their sleeping arrangements in the Garif camp were not too different from what they had set up out in the wild since the Garif had no lodgings to offer but the open air. The only difference was that they were spread out and they had no use for a watch, so she was rather surprised to find Balthier adding wood to the fire and humming to himself. She stood at the edge of camp listening to him for several minutes. It was a haunting tune that she didn't recognize, but seemed to fit her mood that night._

"_Couldn't sleep, Princess?" he asked her all of a sudden. She didn't realize he knew she was there. "You ought to; it will be a long day tomorrow."_

"_I could say the same to you."_

"_I've slept some. I just woke up for my shift out of habit I suppose, when I noticed you hadn't been to bed yet. Figured I would check and make sure that you made it into camp alright."_

"_I thank you for your concerns… What was that song you were humming?"_

"_Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just something my mother used to sing." Balthier stared into the fire._

"_It's beautiful. Are there words?" He nodded in the affirmative. She sat down upon her bedding. "Will you sing them?" He gave a wistful smile and he started singing softly in a baritone voice._

_The song when hummed was a haunting tune but with words, it became very sad. Balthier stared intently into the fire through the whole song never looking at her or anywhere else. The song was a description of a man's young fiancé. While he couldn't provide well for her, her family liked him sufficiently and the girl looks forward to their wedding but before it could take place the young girl died. The song ended describing the girl's ghost coming to visit the man with the ghost still saying she couldn't wait for their wedding day._

_When he finished the song, Ashe finally became conscious of the tears that were rolling down her face._

"_Princess?" he inquired._

_She furiously started wiping away the tears. This is was the whole reason she had stayed away earlier that night. She hated weakness, especially her own. But the words of the song and them being sung by the man who had consumed a lot of tremulous thought that night pulled hard enough at her already taut heart strings that involuntarily she was driven to tears._

_He walked to her makeshift bed and crouched down next her. "Do not worry about it," Ashe told him. "A breeze just wafted the smoke from the fire into my eyes. I am fine, Balthier. No need to concern yourself."_

_He picked up her face with his hand and made her looking him in the eye. She was shocked to find how close his face was to hers. "There is no breeze tonight, Princess," he murmured. Against her will, Ashe felt the tears start to spring to her eyes anew. "It's alright," Balthier told her. He finally sat down upon her bedding and took her into his arms. "Let it out. It's okay."_

_Ashe had trouble believing his words, for her tears at this moment had to deal with the betrayal she felt she had just committed against Rasler. When Balthier was looking at her, Ashe wasn't thinking about the song Balthier had just finished, her country in shambles or her dead husband which had consumed so many of her thoughts for the last two years. When she looked at Balthier, all she thought about was kissing him and icy dread and guilt descended upon her as she thought of what her late husband would think of her infidelity._

Some courtiers had the audacity to point out to Balthier that Ashe still wore her wedding ring. Balthier was tired of the gossip. Balthier knew she had come to terms with Rasler's death over the course of their journey and their relationship. He was sick of having gossips try and put him off his task of letting their relationship go as public as it could be considering all they needed to hide.

Truth was he was planning something to get them to stop but he wanted to mess with Ashe a bit before he started.

"Lady Ashe," Balthier addressed her formally as he always did when at court. No one really listened to their conversations but it still would have been considered improper if he didn't show some sign of respect. "Do you recall the conversation we had a few weeks ago?"

They were sitting at dinner in the great hall. It was a formal banquet for some foreign dignitary from Rozarria who was sitting at Ashe's left. The dignitary, whose importance had escaped Balthier, had been conversing with his companion the entire dinner leaving Ashe and Balthier to chat in peace. With the hall full with all sorts of nobles from all over and they were technically at court by Dalmasca's standards, now was as good as any and Balthier was not known as one who would wait when the opportunity presented itself.

Balthier watched as Ashe's face creased a little as she tried to recall what he may be speaking about. "I don't think I do."

"Sure you do. About formal courtship rules…" Ashe's face showed she understood what he was getting at. Not only of the conversation he had referred to but also what he intended to do next. Balthier stood up, picked up her hand and gave a polite formal kiss upon it and several people had turned to watch them when he suddenly stood. With a wicked grin, Balthier turned out to the rest of the Great Hall. He watched Ashe's face turn bright red but he knew she now was unable to stop him with the audience they had. "This is my formal declaration to The Royal City of Rabanastre of my intent to court the Lady Ashe."

* * *

The rest of the evening went by in a blur for Balthier. Whatever he had expected the reaction to be from the announcement it was not this… paperwork.

There had been polite applause for their Queen to have a formal suitor and Balthier and Ashe had some light chatting with other courtiers but then a prim scholar and one of Ashe's advisors had shuffled him to the side and eventually out of the hall entirely. The whole thing was very much a repetition of signing his name. It was for prestige and historical documents, nothing legal or actually vital. He had been vetted upon his first appearance in front of the Queen so the legitimacy of his identity was never once questioned. He just wondered why the papers were so easily on hand.

Balthier was just starting to become certain that Ashe had not come to rescue him as his punishment for springing it on her, when she walked in.

"I want to thank you," she said in a dry tone, "for all of the paperwork you created for me."

"I have been sitting through the same. Last time I signed my name this many times was when I became a judge."

"Why did you do that if I may ask?"

"You may. I just figured it would make my presence around the palace a little easier. If we don't wake in time or I get caught sneaking in one night, it would be far easier to dismiss this way. If I had known it would be all of this," he waved at the stack of papers, "I would have rethought it. Why did they separate us, if we were just doing the same thing?" he asked grabbing her once she came in reach to pull her on his lap.

"It's tradition. It gives my advisors a chance to say or ask anything awkward to either of us."

He raised an eyebrow. "I was left here alone. They say anything to you?"

She gave a bemused smile. "I think they were probably afraid they would scare you off. They seemed elated that I was 'publicly out of mourning and with someone who was a noble choice versus some of the sky pirate ruffians that I had taken up with on my travels, while out of necessity at the time, is unfitting for a queen now.'" She had mimicked the tone of the advisor who had shoved all of the paperwork upon Balthier.

"Oh, they said all of that, did they?" Balthier was rather pleased with himself that he could hide so well among this group. Good to know he could still pull off a simple con. Blend in with enough half truths. Certainly helped to have an inside man, or Queen in this case, to help you with credibility. Too bad Ashe got her country back, he though longingly, she could have helped in some spectacular heists.

"They did hint that they wished for someone of a slightly higher rank but it shows Dalmasca's attempts to put the past behind us and strengthen our ties with the Empire while still keeping our independence through a family that was closely tied with the Solidors. You were a godsend to them when you appeared and had been hoping you would do something like this. There is also a marriage contract already drawn up in case you had gone that route instead, they informed me tonight. Honestly you did me a favor. This should keep them from hinting for me to marry Al-Cid for a while."

Balthier clenched his jaw but managed to keep the sneer off of his face. The philandering git… Granted, Balthier's reputation wasn't much better than the Rozarrian prince, but he wasn't thinking of that at the moment. He had seen the two together and Al-Cid flirtation with Ashe appeared to be more of a reflex than anything genuine. He would make a horrible husband for her.

Instead of dwelling on this, Balthier just rested his head against her shoulder blades and enjoyed the feel of Ashe in his arms. He ignored the nagging voice in his head that told him someday she would be in need of a husband and the Ffamran Bunansa whom her court thought was the perfect choice for her had not existed since he was 16. Ffamran was just an extra who got killed off before the end of the first scene and was not the leading man. Balthier could only play the role of Ffamran to an extent and this was a far as he could and would take it. A royal marriage would make the part more permanent than he was comfortable with.


End file.
